The Pledge of Allegiance

[Mandy]

Thanks Judy, i am going to send this to my son, so he can read how hes dad, and i grew up I enjoyed this!!

[DianaB]

That was REALLY good! It's hard to believe that we survived at all!!!!!

This brought back so many memories of growing up! I played in the ditch water after it rained, played in the trees, and played kick-ball in the street where mailboxes and tar spots were the bases. We were always outside! That's how I raised my kids. We didn't have video games but we had the river nearby and the whole outside!!!

[katepoet]

I think that we don't know the statistics for how many kids died or live with permanent disability. I am sure it was higher than today. Sometimes reasons may have been known, sometimes unknown and sometimes misdiagnosed.

I remember how serious strep was, how few antibiotics there were compared to today, how little we knew about how the immune system functioned.

So yes, I walked or biked to school almost everyday, we even hitch hiked back then, until a friend had to fight her way out of a car. Biking kept me slim and strong. We certainly had more time for gym class - every day. I did field hockey, band, had an after school job and felt like I had time to spare but today all my students are under pressure. But they have so much more on their plates and live so far from their friends. They can't just bike a few blocks to see each other. It's not safe to let small kids play in the empty lot up the block, even in small towns. But it wasn't really safe then, we just thought it was. There were more of us - we baby boomers so perhaps there were more around to be eyes. And moms worked at home with children - but they usually didn't have a choice. Men controlled the money and decision making for so many.

But raped girls were ashamed. (I heard a rape once but there was nothing I could do about it.) Girls could not pursue the myriad of options for careers we have now. Mothers going back to work had very limited choices. Women stayed in bad marriages because divorce was shameful. I remember the first friend whose parents were divorcing - she cried at school in the cloak room so many days. I remember the couple that stayed together but in separate bedrooms and the daughter who said she would have rather they had divorced than have stayed in the same house with their kids. always arguing.

I remember spankings were approved by Dr. Spock who has since recanted his stand. Kids got into fights every year at the Thanksgiving football game, under the bleachers, riots happened in the early 70's, a piano teacher who was probably a pedophile.

I remember lots of good, too, but how many died of SIDS before it even had a name, how many had lead poisoning limit their IQ, how many didn't have any choice about how they survived? How many lost eyes and fingers? This just wasn't the focus of the news like it is today so we hear too much of the details of each child's loss. It was there then, we just didn't know about it as much.

[katepoet]

The edit time expired so excuse my double post -
I wanted to apologize for being such a wet blanket in response to something meant to entertain. I just get tired of hearing it was somehow better for these reasons and they are not really true, just how everyone remembers childhood in a way, biased towards what our mothers and fathers let us know and away from what they and society protected us from.

[rivermom]

This was so interesting to read. Reading slowly the sentences bringing memories alive being a kid. A smile formed remembering those nights out w/ the neighborhood kids playing "Kick The Can". Living in Southern California I had to be in the house by the time the fire works went off each night at Disneyland.

Not heading in through that door however before drinking out of the garden hose and ringing a few other neighbors doors for "Ding Door Ditch".

Being even younger heading out hiking with my Brother just a year older. We were gone all day. We walked - there was more to be seen by those dusty shoes then peddling some bike that day. Only harm done that day was having a cut on my leg which soon scared. That scar today brings fond memories when i look at it.

My Brother had a Daisy Bee-Bee gun. I know this for sure because he shot me in the back one day. He asked me to move and I told hin I didn't want to. Guess he thought it was not the correct answer and he shot me. Oh it didn't break the skin, but it sure stung pretty good. Oh gosh, it's funny looking back on the past!


I skated in skates w/ metal wheels and thought I was a star when the wheels created sparks sliding against the paved street.

Dark at night being a teen id sneak out to meet a friend. We'd rush along carrying bags of toilet paper ready to paper the house of those we knew celebrating a birthday, a special day, or sometimes needing no reason at all.

We created forts - and were strict on havig those who enter give the correct password. We made lemonaide stands in hopes to make enough change to run to the nearest T G & Y Drug Store for a scoop of ice cream.

We played school at home on weekends and actually had fun learning. Going back to school on Monday never caused a worry of getting shot. The worst at school was finding out the guy you liked didn't care at all about you. Or you had an argument with your best friend and you didn't talk for a week. Those weeks were the longest of my life back then. To me this was "trauma in school"

Riding horses on acres and acres of your own land - none of which was trespassing...Or if you needed more speed you'd jump on the minibike.

putting a card in the spoke of your wheel attached with a close pin just to make power sounds as you rode your bike.

I walked down sidewalks twirling the hoola-hoop around my waist for blocks and blocks. Or ran across a few neighbors yards to gain some speed for countless cart wheels or back flips.

Really wasn't indoors too much. But when I was I played with my turntable and records. Had not a clue about the meaning of "video game" or a tv with more than 8 channels on it LOL

There were some horrible times too - but i guess when you become an adult you try to focus on the good stuff and not dwell on what couldn't have been changed.

[katepoet]

Great memories rivermom. We built forts and had passwords to them to, and lemonade stands. I ran day camp in my backyard for all the neighbors kids in the summer when I was 11. We believed in secrets and magic and good books. We baked our own cookie and pie recipes and mixed secret concoctions into our chocolate milk that our mother required us to drink afterward - yuck!

Didn't you raise your kids or aren't you raising or planning to raise them - doing the same things? Being creative, having fun, believing in themselves, fairies and all the rest?

[rivermom]

Originally Posted by katepoet

Great memories rivermom. We built forts and had passwords to them to, and lemonade stands. I ran day camp in my backyard for all the neighbors kids in the summer when I was 11. We believed in secrets and magic and good books. We baked our own cookie and pie recipes and mixed secret concoctions into our chocolate milk that our mother required us to drink afterward - yuck!

Didn't you raise your kids or aren't you raising or planning to raise them - doing the same things? Being creative, having fun, believing in themselves, fairies and all the rest?

Thanks Kate
Yes, the kids were raised on ferris wheels holding a corn dog or cotton candy at a fair Friday nights. We had puppet shows, built models w/ glue that stunk real bad and none of them carried it off later to get high on.

They grew up on little league lots - each year wondering if truly the snack shack could create it's own food group by eating nachos for dinner 3-4 times a week.

we traveled once a year on family vacations. Camping, exploring, getting smashed by a wave on a visit to the beach.

They grew up believing (for awhile) that those white boot marks walking accross the carpet towards the Christmas tree truly were from Santa. (Baking soda poured into a pan, then stepped in)

Wishes were made with my daughter sitting on the back yard picnic table staring up at the stars.

Her and I created doll houses and she thought they were mansions.

Having free passes to Disney Land they can see lot's of magic being made.

Yes, they believe in themselves by making their own choices in their life. Realizing that every action in those choices has a reaction and it's accountability.

[katepoet]

Wonderful!